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Well chamber, with unfinished decoration, and staircase leading toward tomb entrance beyond.
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Entryway A

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A roughly cut, unfinished rock-cut stairway descends from an opening cut into the mountainside and leads directly to corridor B. A pair of beam holes lie near the bottom of the stairway. There is no evidence of a lintel or jambs between entryway A and corridor B.

Architectural Features

Beam holes
Overhang
Steps

Condition

Cutting unfinished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Width:

    2.24 m
  • Length:

    8.27 m
  • Area:

    18.56 m2
  • Orientation:

    196.92°

Corridor B

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This long, narrow corridor is not preceded by a gate.

Porter and Moss designation:

A

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.94 m
  • Width:

    1.98 m
  • Length:

    11.04 m
  • Area:

    21.88 m2
  • Volume:

    43.68 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from entryway A

Gate C

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The stairway in this gate continues through stairwell C. The left (east) jamb was cut back.

Architectural Features

Steps

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.71 m
  • Width:

    1.81 m
  • Length:

    1 m
  • Area:

    1.86 m2
  • Volume:

    5.03 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor B

Stairwell C

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The stairwell leads from corridor B to gate D. On either side, narrow recesses have been cut into the tops of the walls. The original steps are badly damaged.

Architectural Features

Recesses
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Damaged structurally
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    5.33 m
  • Width:

    1.98 m
  • Length:

    4.19 m
  • Area:

    8.28 m2
  • Volume:

    36.81 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor B

Gate D

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Both jambs of gate D have been cut back.

Porter and Moss designation:

B

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.23 m
  • Width:

    1.6 m
  • Length:

    1.14 m
  • Area:

    1.84 m2
  • Volume:

    4.08 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell C

Corridor D

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This long, narrow corridor has a sloping floor and ceiling.

Porter and Moss designation:

B

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.24 m
  • Width:

    1.97 m
  • Length:

    8.19 m
  • Area:

    16 m2
  • Volume:

    35.86 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell C

Gate E

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This gate was sealed with plaster in antiquity. When Carter first entered the tomb, he noted that this barrier had been broken through. The jambs are cut back, the threshold is sloped, and the soffit is level.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room C (square well)

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.09 m
  • Width:

    1.6 m
  • Length:

    1.08 m
  • Area:

    1.72 m2
  • Volume:

    9.26 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor D

Well chamber E

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Both the entrance and the exit to this chamber had been sealed in antiquity. The decoration here appears to have been hastily completed. There are scenes of the king before various deities: those on the rear (south) wall were continued on the blocking of gate E, and were lost when tomb robbers broke through it. The well shaft was cut into the floor of this chamber, and Carter noted a chamber to the south at the bottom of the shaft. Traces of the original floor level before the well was dug can be seen immediately inside the chamber by gate E.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room C (square well)

Architectural Features

Well shaft

Condition

Cutting unfinished
Decorated
Partly excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.33 m
  • Width:

    4.16 m
  • Length:

    4.17 m
  • Area:

    17.24 m2
  • Volume:

    40.18 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor D

Decoration

  • Star pattern

    Ceiling
  • Deceased with deities

    six representations of king receiving ankhs from various deities, including two forms of Osiris, one of Anubis, and three forms of Hathor left (East) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    left (East) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    front (South) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    right (West) wall

Side chamber Ea

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This well shaft chamber was noted by Carter, but it is now inaccessible because debris fills the bottom of the well.

Condition

Unexcavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.25 m
  • Width:

    4.16 m
  • Length:

    3.2 m
  • Area:

    13.31 m2
  • Volume:

    29.95 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E

Gate Ea

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The gate leads into the side chamber of the well chamber.

Condition

Unexcavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.25 m
  • Width:

    0.9 m
  • Length:

    0.76 m
  • Area:

    0.68 m2
  • Volume:

    0.85 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E

Gate F

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This gate was sealed in antiquity. When Carter first entered the tomb, he noted that this barrier had been broken through. There is a step up in the gate.

Porter and Moss designation:

D

Architectural Features

Steps

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.01 m
  • Width:

    1.97 m
  • Length:

    1.02 m
  • Area:

    1.83 m2
  • Volume:

    4.18 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E

Pillared chamber F

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Two pillars stand in the center of this undecorated pillared chamber. The chamber marks a ninety degree angle shift to the east in the axis of the tomb. There is a stepped descent in its left (east) wall.

Porter and Moss designation:

D

Architectural Features

Pillars
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.53 m
  • Width:

    10.26 m
  • Length:

    6.15 m
  • Area:

    63.11 m2
  • Volume:

    159.43 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from well chamber E
  • Number of pillars:

    2
  • Average pillar width:

    0.97 m

Graffiti

  • Mason's marks:

    Ceiling

Descent F

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The stepped descent is located on the left (north) side of the left (east) wall of chamber F. The original steps are badly damaged.

Porter and Moss designation:

D

Architectural Features

Steps

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated
Damaged structurally

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.81 m
  • Width:

    1.99 m
  • Length:

    4.37 m
  • Area:

    8.69 m2
  • Orientation:

    90.56° left from pillared chamber F

Gate G

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The jambs of gate G have been cut back.

Porter and Moss designation:

E

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.24 m
  • Width:

    1.59 m
  • Length:

    1 m
  • Area:

    1.58 m2
  • Volume:

    3.64 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.56° left from pillared chamber F

Corridor G

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This long narrow corridor slopes down from gate G to stairwell H.

Porter and Moss designation:

E

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.23 m
  • Width:

    1.97 m
  • Length:

    8.21 m
  • Area:

    16.15 m2
  • Volume:

    36.45 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.56° left from pillared chamber F

Stairwell H

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The badly damaged stairway leads from corridor G to gate I. On either side, narrow recesses have been cut into the walls.

Architectural Features

Recesses
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Damaged structurally
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    3.95 m
  • Width:

    1.9 m
  • Length:

    3.14 m
  • Area:

    5.96 m2
  • Volume:

    23.57 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor G

Gate H

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The stairs of stairwell H start inside this gate.The lintel and the jambs were cut back. The original steps are badly damaged.

Architectural Features

Steps

Condition

Excavated
Undecorated
Cutting finished
Damaged structurally

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.42 m
  • Width:

    1.54 m
  • Length:

    1.02 m
  • Area:

    1.56 m2
  • Volume:

    3.96 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from corridor G

Gate I

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The jambs of gate I have been cut back.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room F

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.41 m
  • Width:

    1.47 m
  • Length:

    1.03 m
  • Area:

    1.5 m2
  • Volume:

    3.57 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell H

Chamber I

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Chamber I is an antechamber leading into the burial chamber. It is the last chamber on the west-east axis. The decoration appears to have been hastily completed. The walls were plastered and painted, and show the king before Osiris, Anubis and Hathor. There are two hieratic graffiti from the reign of Horemheb recording a tour of inspection and restoration.

Porter and Moss designation:

Room F

Architectural Features

Ramp

Condition

Cutting finished
Decorated
Excavated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.23 m
  • Width:

    3.62 m
  • Length:

    5.19 m
  • Area:

    18.73 m2
  • Volume:

    41.89 m3
  • Orientation:

    0° from stairwell H

Decoration

  • Star pattern

    Ceiling
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris, Anubis and two forms of Hathor left (North) wall
  • Deceased with deities

    Osiris, Anubis, and three forms of Hathor rear (East) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    left (North) wall
  • Kheker frieze

    rear (East) wall

Graffiti

  • Hieratic text:

    two texts detailing the rearrangement of the burial of Thutmes IV during regnal year 8 of Horemheb by Chief Treasurer Maya, and Djehutymes, Steward of the Southern City (Thebes), his assitant right (South) wall

Gate J

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There are beam slots in the lintel of the gate. It was originally closed with a single leaf wooden door. Afterwards, it was blocked and plastered to prevent entry. From this point on, the tomb continues on a south-north axis. There is a ramp cut through the gate. The left (west) jamb has been cut back.

Porter and Moss designation:

G

Architectural Features

Lintel beam slot
Compound jambs
Ramp
Door pivot holes

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2.1 m
  • Width:

    1.52 m
  • Length:

    2.42 m
  • Area:

    4.15 m2
  • Volume:

    8.29 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.65° left from chamber I

Burial chamber J

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The burial chamber is divided into two sections: an upper pillared level and a lower level where the sarcophagus was placed. On the upper level stand three pairs of pillars. A stepped descent, cut between the last pair of pillars, leads to the lower level. Four side chambers lie beyond the undecorated walls of the chamber. There are red mason's lines on the right (east) wall. There are conical lumps of plaster on the walls of the upper section of the burial chamber. A rectangle, outlined in black paint (ca. 50x30 cm wide), was painted on the right (west) side of the front (south) wall of the chamber.

  • Chamber plan:

    Rectangular
  • Relationship to main tomb axis:

    Parallel
  • Chamber layout:

    Pillared front upper level, sunken rear lower level
  • Floor:

    Two levels
  • Ceiling:

    Flat

Porter and Moss designation:

G, Sarcophagus chamber H

Architectural Features

Burial pit
Magical brick niches
Pillars
Sarcophagus
Sarcophagus emplacement
Steps

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    4.45 m
  • Width:

    8.36 m
  • Length:

    14.42 m
  • Area:

    120.18 m2
  • Volume:

    451.18 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.65° left from chamber I
  • Number of pillars:

    6
  • Average pillar width:

    1.05 m

Graffiti

  • Mason's marks:

    right (East) wall

Sarcophagus

  • Extant remains:

    Box and lid
  • Sarcophagus form:

    Cartouche-shaped
  • Material:

    Quartzite
  • Length:

    3 m
  • Width:

    1.69 m
  • Height:

    1.99 m
  • Orientation:

    west
  • Emplacement:

    Pit with plinth blocks
  • Comments:

    The quartzite is yellow, with surfaces painted red and figures and texts painted yellow with details in black.
  • Decoration:

  • Deities:
    four sons of Horus, Anubis, Nephthys, Isis Box exterior
  • Deities:
    Nut Lid exterior

Gate Ja

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Slots for a lintel beam are cut at the top of the jambs. The gate would have been closed with a single leaf wooden door.

Architectural Features

Lintel beam slot

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.32 m
  • Width:

    0.97 m
  • Length:

    0.63 m
  • Area:

    0.6 m2
  • Volume:

    0.792 m3
  • Orientation:

    91.05° left from burial chamber J

Side chamber Ja

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This undecorated side chamber lies to the left (west) of chamber J.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.93 m
  • Width:

    5.16 m
  • Length:

    3.11 m
  • Area:

    15.98 m2
  • Volume:

    30.84 m3
  • Orientation:

    91.05° left from burial chamber J

Gate Jb

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Slots for a lintel beam are cut at the top of the jambs. The gate would have been closed with a single leaf wooden door. A half-wall has been built across this gate to protect the remains of meat offerings in side chamber Jb from curious tourists.

Architectural Features

Lintel beam slot

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.27 m
  • Width:

    0.96 m
  • Length:

    0.63 m
  • Area:

    0.61 m2
  • Volume:

    0.78 m3
  • Orientation:

    91.2° left from burial chamber J

Side chamber Jb

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This undecorated side chamber lies to the left (west) of chamber J. Remains of meat offerings are strewn on the floor.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.91 m
  • Width:

    5.16 m
  • Length:

    3.12 m
  • Area:

    15.99 m2
  • Volume:

    30.54 m3
  • Orientation:

    91.2° left from burial chamber J

Gate Jc

See entire tomb

Slots for a lintel beam are cut at the top of the jambs. The gate would have been closed with a single leaf wooden door.

Architectural Features

Lintel beam slot

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.33 m
  • Width:

    0.97 m
  • Length:

    0.62 m
  • Area:

    0.6 m2
  • Volume:

    0.8 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.74° right from burial chamber J

Side chamber Jc

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This undecorated side chamber lies to the right (east) of chamber J.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.93 m
  • Width:

    4.15 m
  • Length:

    2.83 m
  • Area:

    11.7 m2
  • Volume:

    22.58 m3
  • Orientation:

    89.74° right from burial chamber J

Gate Jd

See entire tomb

Slots for a lintel beam are cut at the top of the jambs. The gate would have been closed with a single leaf wooden door.

Architectural Features

Lintel beam slot

Condition

Excavated
Cutting finished
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    1.35 m
  • Width:

    0.97 m
  • Length:

    0.61 m
  • Area:

    1 m2
  • Volume:

    1.35 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.04° right from burial chamber J

Side chamber Jd

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This undecorated side chamber lies to the right (east) of chamber J.

Condition

Cutting finished
Excavated
Undecorated

Dimensions

  • Height:

    2 m
  • Width:

    5.17 m
  • Length:

    3.17 m
  • Area:

    16.41 m2
  • Volume:

    32.82 m3
  • Orientation:

    90.04° right from burial chamber J

About

About

The entrance to KV 43 lies in the south branch of the southeast Wadi, high in the mountainside above and southeast of KV 19. Similar in plan to KV 35 (Amenhetep II), the first three corridors (B, C, D), the well chamber E and side chamber Ea follow a north-south axis. The side chamber Ea off the bottom of the shaft in well chamber E lies partly beneath pillared chamber F. At the latter chamber, the tomb axis turns ninety degrees to the left (east) and continues on a west-east axis to chamber I, after which it again turns ninety degrees to the left (north) to a south-north axis, giving access to burial chamber J and side chambers Ja-Jd. The tomb is decorated with representations of the king with various deities in well chamber E and chamber I.

Noteworthy features:

Graffiti in chamber I record the inspection and restoration of the tomb during the reign of Horemheb.

Site History

Hieratic graffiti in chamber I inform us that the tomb was entered during regnal year 8 of Horemheb for a renewal of the burial. After the removal of the mummy of Thutmes IV to KV 35 in Dynasty 21, the tomb was sealed with roughly-cut stones, covered by flood debris, and forgotten until its discovery by Carter in 1903.

Dating

This site was used during the following period(s):

New Kingdom
Dynasty 18
Thutmes IV
New Kingdom
Dynasty 18
Horemheb
Third Intermediate Period
Dynasty 21

Exploration

1903: Excavation
Carter, Howard
1904: Epigraphy
Carter, Howard
1903: Discovery
Carter, Howard

Conservation

Conservation History

Glass panels have been placed in front of the decorated walls in chamber I. In some areas here the painted plaster has cracked, particularly on the north (left) wall. At some time during the last twenty years of the twentieth century, an illegal attempt was made to remove the head of one of the figures of Hathor on the east (rear) wall. Access to side chamber Jb, where mummified meat offerings still remain, has been blocked by a rubble wall.

Site Condition

KV 43 has not suffered floodwater damage, and its painted decoration is well preserved.

Hieroglyphs

Thutmes IV

King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Established are the Manifestations of Ra, Son of Ra, Born of Thoth, Radiant of Appearances
niswt-bity mn-xprw-Raw sA-Raw 9Hwty-ms xA-xAw

Articles

Decorating the Tombs

The artists and workmen responsible for decorating the tombs used a variety of implements in wood, metal and stone in different stages of the process.

Funerary Equipment

The types of funerary equipment Egyptians put into their tombs had become standardized long before the New Kingdom.

Bibliography

Bryan, Betsy M.  The Reign of Thutmose IV.  Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.

Carter, HowardPercy E. Newberry, Gaston Maspero and G. Elliot Smith.  The Tomb of Thoutmosis IV (= Theodore M. Davis' Excavations, Biban el Moluk, 1).  London, 1904.

Helck, Wolfgang.  Königsgräbertal.  Wolfgang Helck, Eberhart Otto and Wolfhart Westendorf (eds.).  Lexikon der Ägyptologie.  7 vols. Wiesbaden, 1972-1992.  3: 521.

Lucas, Alfred.  Note on the Temperature and Humidity of Several Tombs in the Valley of the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes.   Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte 24 (1924): 12-14.

Newberry, Percy E.  Discovery of the Tomb of Thothmes IV at Bibân el-Mulûk.  Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology.  London. 25 (1903):  111-112.

Porter, Bertha and Rosalind Moss.  Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Text, Reliefs, and Paintings. I, 2. The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs and Smaller Cemeteries.  Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964.  Pp. 559-562.

Reeves, Carl Nicholas.  Valley of the Kings: The Decline of a Royal Necropolis (= Studies in Egyptology).  London:  KPI, 1990. Pp. 34-38.

Weeks, Kent R.  Measurements of KV Royal Tomb Components.  In: Richard H. Wilkinson and Kent R. Weeks (eds.).  The Oxford Handbook of the Valley of the Kings.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.  Pp. 583-599.